The narrator of “Cathedral” appears brutally honest about himself, but this honesty comes across in two ways, neither of which denotes an admirable character. In the first part of the story — prior to Robert’s arrival — find examples both of something he tells the reader about himself that isn’t flattering, and of some judgment he makes about something or someone other than himself that does not reflect well on him. That said, do we root for him in some way? Identify with him? Why or why not? Why does Carver make the narrator (who — newsflash! — has little in common with Carver himself) such a schmuck?
Wharton was part of the literary movement known as American Realism, along with other writers such as Henry James (her mentor) and William Dean Howells. The American Realists were fascinated by psychology and the question of people’s often subconscious motivations. What kind of character is Lydia? What is the source of her unhappiness? Why doesn’t she want to marry Gannett? Does Gannett understand her reasons? What does she actually want?
Flannery O’Connor’s “A Good Man is Hard to Find” is one of the most shocking short stories ever written, especially given the misleading title. As you now know, the story ends violently. What is the purpose of the violencein the story? Does the violence bother you, or does O’Connor undercut its power in some way?
O’Connor is a thoroughly southern writer. If “A Good Man is Hard to Find” is a story about the south, what is its message?
To determine the meaning of Hemingway’s story, concentrate on the different ways the word nothing is used. Why is “A Clean, Well-Lighted Place” an important thing, and why does the word nothing play such a prominent role in the story?
Despite the title, one might argue that The Great Gatsby is really Nick Carraway’s story. Since, in the first chapter, all we are given of Gatsby is wild rumor and one enigmatic sighting from a distance, focus on Nick. What kind of person is he? What is it about his character that qualifies, even distinguishes, him as a narrator?
Maxwell Perkins, Fitzgerald’s editor, wrote to him in a letter: “I would know Tom Buchanan if I met him on the street and would avoid him.” We might agree, but if Fitzgerald had a gift for vivid characterization, it is of a different kind from that of Edith Wharton. How does Fitzgerald impress us with a sense of his characters — in this chapter Tom, Jordan, and Daisy — in comparatively short passages?